JACKSON, Tenn. (WBBJ) – A Jackson resident reported a black bear sighting over the weekend in the Crystal Cove neighborhood in north Jackson.
Jonathan Chung said he was sitting on his porch when the bear crossed his yard.
“It was a very short experience, I was just sitting over there on the porch, and I see something big and black flash across the yard, and it was about halfway across by the time I realized what it was, and then it jumped the fence shortly thereafter, it was here and gone in five seconds,” Chung said.
‘Not in my yard’
Chung said he had seen bears before, but not in his own yard.
“Not in my yard, I’ve seen them in Yellowstone but not here,” Chung said.
Chung fosters cats and adopts ones that struggle to find a good home. Video from the encounter showed cats in the yard at the time of the sighting. Chung said he was not concerned for their safety.
“I was nervous in the time I had to be, but I didn’t feel like it would bother the cats, and it was booking it pretty hard, I’m assuming from the golf course, so I didn’t really worry about them,” Chung said.
What to do if you see a bear
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said bears spotted in West Tennessee are often just passing through and typically avoid people. Wildlife officials advise residents who spot a bear to keep their distance, not approach it, not feed it, and not attempt to take a close-up photo.
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